Individual Details

Sebastian Co, AR, Marriage Certificate
William Parke Moore, Jr. of Fort Smith, age 23, to Miss Eulema Welton, of Fort Smith, age 22. Dated 8 Nov 1948.

Eulema "Jerry" Merle Welton Moore Bossier, 88, departed this life at her home on the 8th day of April 2015, in Baton Rouge for the long awaited reunion with her Heavenly family.
Jerry was born in Hodgen, Oklahoma, on September 30, 1926, of her parents, both deceased, Scotch-Irish/Cherokee father, John Vendor Welton, and mother Elizabeth Mertzel Harris Welton, Choctaw (-Chickasaw) original Choctaw Tribal enrollee. Growing up with three brothers, John Vendor, Jr., Truman Tate, & William Henry - all deceased, and five sisters, Eva Deaver, Melva Guinn, Cosma Godfrey -deceased, surviving: Marcella Widmar of Poteau, OK, and Cordella Harrison and husband Robert of Blacksburg, VA. Having been raised in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, working on the family farm, she cultivated her industrious spirit and instilled a selfless and unrelenting love of family. Jerry's affection for her family and her ardent inquisitiveness motivated her through nursing school after World War II to become an exclusive, retained, private practice RN.
Shortly after her graduation, she met and married her first husband, William 'Bill' Parke Moore, Jr. of Fort Smith, AR. The small family moved to Baton Rouge, LA in 1952 to raise their four sons, William Parke, III -Weyanoke, LA, Richard Allen - B.R., LA, Donald Wayne (wife Kim Guidry) - B.R., LA and Welton Lee (wife Chris White) - Adrian, MI. Together, they made their home and eventually opened four Carolina Fabrics stores. Jerry's matriarchal nature was put into practice raising the four boys, attending the local schools, and worshipping at First Lutheran Church and then joining the new and growing ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church. Jerry was widowed in 1989.
In March 1995, she married Harding William Bossier of Baton Rouge. The two spent the first years of their marriage travelling the world, enjoying the splendour of God's Earth, and most especially, the love He bestowed to them, which overflowed to both of their families. Her Moore grand children: William Parke, IV, Kelli Christine, Christian Ian, Tracy Anne, Donald Wayne, Jr., London Elise, Kelsey Christine, Madison Leigh, Sydney Katherine, and numerous step grandchildren. Jerry was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren.
The Wake will be Sunday, April 12th at Rabenhorst East, 11000 Florida Blvd, B. R., 5 to 8 p.m. Viewing will be Monday, April 13th at Trinity Lutheran Church, 10925 Florida Blvd, B.R., LA, 10 to 11 a.m., services will be held at 11:00 with at interment at Green Oaks Cemetery, 9595 Florida Blvd., B.R., LA.
Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and GiGi, Jerry set an example for our family; she was the most selfless of all whom we knew. We miss her dearly and, because of her, we are enduringly grateful for having such a revenant, loving, and wholesome role model.
Surviving Jerry are step-children: Julia & Bob Simmons, Kiowah, SC, William & Lorraine Bossier, B.R. LA, Ann and Greg Eggart, Broussard, LA, and James and Erica Bossier, B.R., LA.
Published in TheAdvocate.com from Apr. 9 to Apr. 13, 2015

My notes: The 1900 census, Choctaw Nation, IT, has the family of Abel Harris, father of Elizabeth Harris Welton - Elizabeth was 3 months old, born in Feb of 1900. Able and all the children marked as "Indian" - her mother Susan G., as "White" John Vendor Welton's mother was Melvira Gabbard - a very distant half-cousin of sorts to me. In 1900, John was with his parents, George & Melvira in Franklin Co, AR - no one marked as anything other than "White" - George's parents born in Illinois & Tennesses, Melvira's in Kentucky. There is no evidence of "Indian" heritage on this side of the family.

Birth	30 Sep 1926	Hodgen, LeFlore County, Oklahoma
Marriage	8 Nov 1948	Sebastian County, Arkansas - William Parke Moore II
Death	8 Apr 2015	Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Spouse	William Parke Moore II (1925 - 1989)
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	John Vendor Welton (1895 - 1979)
Mother	Elizabeth Harris (1900 - 1975)